DEAR SUN SPOTS: For “No Name” in Jay (Oct. 24), the folks who run the day care program at the YMCA in Augusta gave me this recipe. They say it is one of their most popular lunch items. The kids get all excited when they hear that they are having “spaghetti pizza” for lunch. It is not much of a recipe, no amounts really, but it might be a step in the right direction.

Prepare spaghetti according to the directions on the box; drain and cool. (They use a lot of pasta, but I think that for just a family half a box would be more than enough.) Beat an egg and stir it into the pasta. Pack the pasta into a greased (or I would use pan spray) pie dish, building it up around the edges to form a crust.

Top with your favorite bottled pizza sauce and cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until everything is hot and the cheese is melted. The folks at the Y said you can add pepperoni, etc., but they make it just plain for the kids.

You can find another, more detailed recipe at Grandparents.com but it is probably copyrighted, preventing you from running it in your column, but maybe No Name can use it.

Thank you for all you do. — Chris, Monmouth

ANSWER: Chris is right. It is very difficult to get permission to reprint recipes, so Sun Spots cannot present the one from Grandparents.com, which is designed for kids and adults to cook together. It includes whole wheat pasta, ground turkey instead of beef, canned tomatoes instead of sauce, and oregano and basil.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Spaghetti pie is similar to baked lasagna, but is less expensive and takes less effort.

8 ounce package spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 egg

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

l medium onion chopped

1/4 cup chopped pepper

2 tablespoons oil

1 15-ounce jar thick spaghetti sauce

l teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt and oregano

2 cups ricotta cheese

4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti in boiling water following label directions : drain.Place in 9 by 13 baking dish. Stir in butter. Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and egg until thoroughly combined. Spread evenly in pan.

Saute the meat, onion and green pepper in oil until meat is brown. drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce, sugar, oregano and garlic salt . Spread ricotta over spaghetti layer and top with meat mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 min. Sprinkle mozzarella over the top and bake 10 min more. Serves 6. — barker@fairpoint.net

ANSWER: The next recipe is very similar but uses less meat and more sauce.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Here’s my recipe for spaghetti pie:

1 pound of hamburger

1/2 cup of chopped onion

1/4 cup of chopped green pepper

23-ounce jar of spaghetti sauce

8 ounces of spaghetti, hot and cooked

1/3 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons butter

1 cup of cottage cheese (I used one whole small container. A cup did not cover well.)

1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (I used more to cover the top)

Cook beef, onion and pepper and drain off fat, stir in spaghetti sauce, mix well.

Combine spaghetti, Parmesan cheese, eggs and butter, mix well. Place in bottom of 9 x 13 pan, spread cottage cheese over the top. pour sauce mixture over the cottage cheese. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake in preheated oven (350 degrees) until cheese melts. about 20 minutes.

Makes six to eight servings. — Evelyn, Lewiston

ANSWER: The next recipe is smaller and includes chili powder for those who like things hotter.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In response to the lady who was asking for the spaghetti pie recipe, here’s the one I make quite often.

4 ounces uncooked spaghetti

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup chopped onion

14 ounce jar spaghetti sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease pie plate; cook spaghetti. Cook beef, green pepper, onion 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in sauce, chili powder, salt and pepper; cook 5 to 6 min.

Drain spaghetti. Place in pie plate, pressing to bottom and sides of plate. Mix eggs and cottage cheese, spread evenly over spaghetti. Spoon beef mixture over cottage cheese. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Bake 35 to 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. — L. Stein, Sabattus

ANSWER: The last recipe is very different from the others and makes twice as much as well.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In appreciation for your most informative column, I would like to submit one family’s favorite recipe for the lady asking for spaghetti pie. Hope she enjoys it as we do.

Undercook 16 ounce package of spaghetti by 3 to 4 minutes.

Brown 1 1/2 pounds ground beef with 1 large chopped green pepper and 1 large chopped onion. Add dashes of Worcestershire sauce and horseradish sauce.

Add 2 cans (15 ounces each) of tomato sauce, 1 8-ounce package of sliced pepperoni, 8 ounces mushroom pieces (drained), 1 cup slice ripe olives (drained), 1/2 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Grease two 13 by 9 pans. Layer cooked drained spaghetti and meat sauce, beginning with about 1 cup meat sauce, then 2 1/2 cups spaghetti, followed by more meat sauce and remaining spaghetti.

Sprinkle with 3 cups shredded mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes until it’s cooked through. — Kay Lawler, Mexico

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